Sinner overcomes Medvedev in five sets to make history in Australia

Jannick Sinner He entered his name in the Australian Open record for the first time for an Italian tennis player. He did it with a spectacular comeback in which he beat the Russian Daniil Medvedev by 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 and 6-3, in an epic final of 3 hours and 46 minutes.

A spectacular forehand, his lethal weapon along with his service, gave him a long-awaited and hard-fought victory against an opponent who saw his third final in Melbourne slip away and came back two sets as he did. Rafael Nadal in 2022.

The sky is blue above Melbourne 🇮🇹🏆

Jannik Sinner vince gli Australian Open 2024 💙#AusOpen #Sinner #EurosportTENNIS pic.twitter.com/tVuOJUUuw0

— Eurosport IT (@Eurosport_IT) January 28, 2024

Sinner He becomes the 27th champion of the tournament in the Open era (1968) and the first to inscribe his name in the record outside the Melbourne domain of the ‘Big Three’ since Roger Federer won the first of his six titles in 2004, Novak Djokovic has the record with 10 and Rafael Nadal won two. Since then, in the last 20 years, only Russian Marat Safin (2005) and the Swiss Stan Wawrinka (2014) have managed to put the sign with their name in the champions’ hall of the Rod Laver Arena.

Russian dominion

Medvedev surprised Sinner with your exit strategy. Unlike the previous matches, the Russian tennis player stood on the baseline and imposed an aggressive game from the first point, solid at the baseline but even going up to the net.

In the third game the Russian had already achieved his goal of taking control of the match by making the first break (2-1). A sufficient advantage to certify his dominance in the first set with a second break (6-3) to score it in 36 minutes.

Sinner couldn’t find the formula to face the atypical style of the Russian tennis player who, supported by the effectiveness of his game (86% points with the first serve, 6 ‘aces’ and 14 winners) dominated him with hardly any errors. The Italian looked towards his box looking for solutions.

Without errors

Nothing to do with the dominance of the Italian (world 4) in the six previous matches of the tournament, including the one won against Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals. Medvedev (3) he had prepared an unknown scenario to receive him and distract him. The Russian tennis player’s experience in five previous Grand Slam finals was an asset on his side.

In the second set Sinner saved four break points‘ not to give up his kickoff, but in the fourth game Medvedev He achieved the break (3-1) and repeated in the sixth (5-1). The Russian was unstoppable. He played chess with a ball in his hand on the Rod Laver Arena.

Against the ropes Sinner managed to make his first break in the match (5-2) and put tension for the first time in the head of Medvedev before closing the second set in his favor after being 0-30 down and losing a first set ball with a double fault.

Change of scenery

The match was even though Medvedev he had two sets in his account. “Let go. Try things,” they insisted to the Italian. Sinner gritted his teeth.. He improved his serve percentages (68% effectiveness). He played more aggressive and brave. Thus he maintained equality until 4-4 and, finally, he was able to break the serve for the first time. Medvedev to force the fourth set (6-4).

The ghost of memory of the final lost in 2022 against Nadal when he dominated by two sets, 3-2 and 0-40, he returned again to the head of Medvedev. A bad memory. Nerves and fatigue emerged in the two tennis players. The Russian tennis player requested medical assistance for problems with his right foot at the beginning of the fourth set.

Comeback for glory

I had to suffer and a lot. Sinner missed a break point in the fourth game. Medvedev lost another on the Italian’s next serve. Serve defense was vital but so were physical reserves. The 23 hours that Medvedev worn on the track could begin to weigh on his legs. AND Sinner He forced the fifth set, with a new break (6-4), to test the Russian’s resistance.

SinnerAs in the previous two sets, he started by serving. A small advantage to press Medvedev, especially if you can make an ‘ace’ with a second serve like you did to win the first game. Medvedev defended himself as best he could. Sinner hit and hit with his right in search of that KO that seemed impossible when Medvedev He ruled the court for two sets.

And the moment sought by the Italian came to make the ‘break’ (4-2) and maintain the advantage to win a battle of 3 hours and 46 minutes to make history in another final for the history of the Rod Laver Arena.

It was the fourth consecutive victory against Medvedev who was the first to highlight it. “I congratulate you on your first Grand Slam. You have played a great match. You have deserved it. There will be more finals and I hope to be in them again. This is the third time I have lost, but it is better than not having played in it.” “In every game I find something that I can improve, you make me a better player,” Sinner responded.

Thanks to parents

At the trophy presentation, the Italian tennis player had a special memory for his parents. “I wish everyone could have parents like mine who have always supported me, never pressured me and let me choose the sport I wanted,” said the tennis player, born in San Candido, in the Alps, who was going for skiing. but at 14 years old he opted for the racket.

The young Italian tennis player, 22 years old, becomes the fifth tennis player from his country to win a Grand Slam after they achieved it Nicola Pietrangeli (1959-60), Adriano Panatta (1976), Francesca Schiavone (2010), all three at Roland Garros and Flavia Penetta (2015) at the US Open.

The battle for number 1

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The victory gives him a prize of 1.9 million euros and 2,000 points that bring him closer in the world rankings where he will remain fourth with 8,310 points, after Medvedev himself (8,765) and the two close to Carlos Alcaraz (9,255) and Novak Djokovic (9,855) in the battle for number 1 and the big titles that opens this season for the four.

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